Caster



Oct. 15, 1929. T, THURLBY ET AL 1,731,640

GASTER Filed June 8, 1927 a@ @im 9 I woemtow Patented Oct. 15, 1929 v f,

uri.g sra'rrs PATIENT ori-ics TRUMAN THURLBY, OF DETROT, AND ARTHUR LE ROY TURRILL, OF FORDSON,

MCHIGAN -A cAsT'ER Application 'filed June 3,

This invention relates to casters for furniture and the object ot our invention is to provide a caster having anV adjustable roller which may be expeditiously moved from its upper .or inoperative position to its lower or operative position.

Another object of our invention is to provide a caster in which the roller may be held securely in its operative position.

Another object of our invention is to provide a caster in which, when the roller is in its inoperative position, therigid caster frame rests on the floor.

Vve accomplish the above and other objects of the invention, which will be apparent as the description proceeds, by means of the crevice shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a side elevation of our improved caster, the lower or operative position of the roller and its operating lover being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the caster; Figure 3 is a front elevation of the caster with the wheel removed; and

Figure lis a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Un the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts on the figures thereof, l indicates the hollow box caster frame in which is mounted the wheel support 2 by means of a pivot 3 passing through. the `orks of the support and the trame. The caster wheel is indirated at 4.

The wheel support 2, which is U-shaped in cross section, lits within the Caster frime. The rear wall of the support is formed with a struck out portion or projection 5 which serves as a stop and latch to secure the support and the wheel in their lowered operative position, as will hereinafter more fully ap-.

pear. y

A cam 6 is rotatably `mounted on the interior of the caster frame behind the wheel support and above the pivot thereof and in such relation thereto as tobear against the rear tace thereof to move the wheel support on its pivot.

The operating member for the cam 6 comprises a lever 7 secured to the cam pivot on 1327.`v semaine. 197,351.

the exterior of the frame. The lever is provided with oot rests 8, 9, respectively, whereby it may be operated to move the cam and the wheel support to either of two positions.

Surrounding the pivot of the wheel supportis a spring l0 having a portion 1l bearing against the rear wall oi the fork which serves to maintain it in engagement with the cam.

A stem 12 extends upwardly from the caster frame and is riveted thereto. vThe stem l2 is designed'to enter the recess of the leg of the article which it is designed to support, conical washers 13 being located between the frame and the leg. Preferably a socket 14 for the stem 12 is located in a recess in the article leg, the socket being formed with a chamfered lower edge and the stem with a conical base the conical washers are thus held between the conical base of the stem and the. chamfered edge of the socket and side play between the parts is eliminated.

When it is desired to raise the wheel from the floor so that the lower flat wall of the caster frame will rest directly on the floor, the lever 7 is turned by pressing on the foot rest 9, whereupon the 'flat base of the cam 6 will be presented to the rear wall of lthe wheel support and the spring l() will operate to turn the support on its pivot, thereby raising the support and the wheel as shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

When it is desired to lower the wheel and its support, pressure is applied to the foot rest 8, thereby turning the cam so that the edge thereof will bear against the rear face of the wheel support and force it to its lowered position until the wheel rests on the floor. The struck out portion 5 forms a stop andlatch for the cam, as will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 2.

It will thus be seen that not only does the caster device provide a strong and rigid construction but that when the wheel is raised, the leg rests on the caster trame and the caser frame rests on the floor thereby making a solid support for the leg. Likewise, when the wheel is in its lowered position, it is rigidly held from turning by the engagement of the cam against the struck out portion of the wheel support.

Having thus described our invention, what ywe claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is z l. In a caster, a hollow frame including` two spaced vertical walls and a horizontalv floor engaging wall, a wheel support pivoted between said vertical walls, a combined latch and stop on said support, means for moving the support onvits pivot, said means engaging' said latch and stop to hold the sup-V port in one position.

2. In a caster, a hollow frame including two spaced vertical walls and a horizontal floor engaging wall, aforked wheel support pivoted between said vertical walls, a combined latch and stop on said support,l means for moving the support on its pivot, said:

,means comprising a cam adapted toy engage said latch and stop to hold the support in one position.

3. In a caster, a hollow trame including two spaced vertical walls and a horizontal Hoor engaging wall, a wheel support having spaced vertical walls pivoted in the vertical walls of the frame, a combined latch and stop on said support, aspring for holding the support in one position, means for moving v the support on its pivot against the action of the spring, said means engaging said latch and stop for holding said support in another position.

il. In a caster, a frame, a wheel support 'jpivoted thereto, means 'for moving the support on its pivot, and a spring for holding the support in engagement with said means.

5. In a caster, a frame, a wheel support pivoted thereto, a cani for moving the supfport on its pivot, operating means Jfor said cam, and a spring for holding the support. in engagement with said cam.

6. A detachable caster for a furniture leg comprising a trame having a floor engaging means, a stem on said frame adapted to enter a socket in the leg, a wheel, a wheel support 'pivoted 'to said frame and means on said frame for moving the wheel support and its wheel on its pivot fromvan inoperative posijti on to an operative position, said wheel support and said wheel being out of alignment with the axis of the stem, and means for preventing side motion ot the stem relatively to its socket when the wheel and wheel support f' are in operative position.

In testimony whereol we have hereunto' signed our names.

TRUMAN THURLBY. Y ARTHUR LE ROY TURRILL. 

